Valve mechanism for air-compressors.



No. 869,373. PATENTED 00129. 1907.

F. LAFPERTY & W. SPENGE;

VALVE MECHANISM FOR AIR. GOMPRESSORS. APPLICATION FILED APR.6.1907.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGYON, D. c.

PATENTED OCT. 29. 1907. F. LAFPBRTY & W. SPENO'B. VALVE MECHANISM FOR AIR GO 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

MPRESSORS.

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M ii 2 APPLICATION FILED APR-6. 1907.

A w f 4 B T 7 6 9 4 UNrrnn STATE PATENT @FFIQE FRANK LAFFERTY, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, AND WATSON SPENOE, OF lllllMDlDlililIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR AIR-COMPRESSORS.

Application filed April 6v To all whom it may concern:

to it known that we, FRANK Larrnnrr, a resident oi Elyria, in the county oi Lorain and State oi Ohio, and \Ya'rsoN Senses, a resident oi the city and county oi Philadelphia and State oi Pennsylvania, both citizens oi the United States, have invented certain new and useiul improvements in Valve Mechanism ior A ir-( ompressors, oi which the iollowing is a specilicat ion.

This invention relates to that class oi air compressors or blowing engines in which rotary valves are employed ior the discharge oi the air irom the respective ends oi the compression cylinder; our object being to provide a simple and etlicient construction whereby the opening oi the discharge valves in alternation shall be controlled entirely by the air pressure within the cylinder without the aid of extraneous mechanical devices, as will be hereinaiter iully described and claimed.

A preferred iorm oi embodiment oi our invent ion is illustrated in theannexed drawings, wherein" Figure l is a side elevation oi a portion oi an air compressor or blowing engine equipped with our improved discharge valve. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereoi on a plane through the ends oi the valve just beyond the discharge ports, as on the line 2-2 oi Fig. i. Fig. 3-} is a similar section oi the upper portion oi the cylinder on a plane intersecting the discharge ports oi the valves. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, as on the line l oi Fig. it. Fig. 5 is a perspective view oi one oi the discharge valves and its end heads. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through one oi the discharge valves and its casing the air duct or passage which connects the valve chamber with the compression cylinder being iormed in the body oi the valve. Figs. 7 and S are transverse sections, enlarged, as on the lines 7-7 and S-S, respectively, oi Fig. 6.

A represents the cylinder and B the reciprocating compression piston therein.

0, G are the rotary air inlet valves at the respective ends oi the cylinder, which valves are oscillated in alternation during the reciprocation oi the piston in a manner to open and close the respective inlet ports (I, u, and thus permit the periodical ingress oi air to the respective ends oi the cylinder. These valves are opened and closed by suitable mechanical connections. in the present instance they are provided with crank arms 0, 0, respectively, coupled by a link having at proper points projections 'c" that extend into the path oi the depending portion (1 oi a tappet arm on a horizontal rod D. This rod is connected with the piston rod and is positively reciprocated thereby; and hence the arm d in its traverse alternately engages the opposing projections oi the link and eiiects thereby the periodical oscillation oi the valves. Any suitable inlet valves may be employed with any appropriate actuating mechanism therefor.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1907- Serial No. 366,691.

Patented Oct. 29, 1907.

E, 10 are the discharge valves at the respective ends 1 oi the cylinder, which valves are identical in const ruction and operation with each other. save that they are oppositely disposed, as seen in Figs. 2 and it. These valves are oi the rotary type and they are seated to oscillate in suitable casings on the cylinder so as to control the opening and closing oi the rcspective discharge ports (1, 11", oi the cylinder.

.llach oi the valves E, ii, as preierably constructed. comprises a cylindrical body t, provided with an elon gated discharge port 2, extending transversely therei through, which port, when brought into alinement \a'ilh the adjacent. ports a, or 11, permits the discharge oi the compressed air irom the cylinder. This body is provided at each oi its ends with a sector-like wing 3). which is rotatably seated within a chambered head at the adjacent end oi the valve casing. The head comprises a cap plate 1 with an inward ')rojcction o partially cylindrical in iorm, having radial inner iaccs (i. The head is centrally recessed and periorated to provide a seat and bearing ior the valve stem 7: and its inner walls are oppositelybeveled or inclined to a iiord within the adjacent end oi the valve casing a segmental cham her 7 within which the wing may be moved about the axis oi the valve, a quartenturn, or substantially so. in the iorm oi our invention illustrated in .l igs. to 5 inclusive, there is provided in the upper wall oi the chamber a recess or opening 8 which communicates with an external pipe 9 leading by way oi a. port it) to the interior oi the cylinder, whereby. at a predetermined time in the compression stroke oi the piston, the air is caused to enter the pipe 9 in advance oi the piston; pass by way oi said pipe to the intercommunicating valve chamber, and therein impinge'against and partially turn the opposing wing. The valve is thus correspondingly turned so as to open the port ta, or (F) tor the discharge oi the compressed air. in the cap plate is a vent hole Ill ior the escape oi air irom the chamber 7' during the downward movement oi the wing therein.

The construction just described is iormed at each end oi the discharge valves, with corresponding pipe and port connections between the same and the interior oi the cylinder. Each oi the pipes is preierably provided with an air-regulating cock 5). l The valves E, E are periodically closed by mcclntnical devices. in the prcscnt instancc such valves are provided with depending crank arms 0, 0 rcspcctivcl y, which extend into the path oi the upwardly projecting portion (1 oi the tappet arm on the rod D. llence said portion rt during its travcrsc, contacts with the crank arms alternately in a manner to el'icct the timely closing of the valves.

By rcierring to Fig. 2, it will be obscrvcd that the piston is indicated as traveling irom leit to right, and that the inlet valve 0 is open and the corresponding discharge valve is closed. the inlet valve 0 is closed and the corresponding discharge valve is open. Now, as the piston continues its stroke to the right, the valves \vill inaintain the respective positions indicated, until the tappet Ii" strikes the crank arm e of the discharge valve E in which case said valve will be closed; and at the same time the tappet (Z will strike the opposing projection c of the link c'-, and effect the closing of the valve (1 and the opening of the valve C. When the tappet strikes the arm a, the piston has cleared the adjacent ports lO, so that during the closure of the valve E the )rcssurc within its sc mental valve chambers will be free to exhaust to the atmospheric side of the piston. When, in the return stroke of the piston, suliicient compression of the air has been effected within the cylinder, the air is forced by Way of the then forward pipes 9, into the chambers at the ends of the valve E, which air, acting against the opposing wings, effects a partial rotation oi the said valve to open the same. Thus the valve is automatically opened by the air pressure and maintained in open position thereby until the piston has completed its compression stroke. This valve is then closed by mechanical devices, such as those previously described, and in the return compression stroke of the piston the other discharge valve is similarly opened by the air pressure within the cylinder.

In the form of our invention illustrated in Figs. (5 to S, inclusive, We dispense with the pipes 9 and connect the valve chamber '7 with the compression cylinder through a duct or passage 9 iormed directly in and longitudinally of the body of the valve. The center of the duct is provided with a circumferential branch 9 which, during the reciprocation of the piston permits the iiow oi the air to and from the valve chamber, first, to turn the valve automatically to discharging position, and secondly, to permit the air in the valve chamber to pass to the cylinder during the return of the valve to closing position.

We claim 1. The combination of a cylinder having inlet and dis charge ports, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, valve mechanism for the inlet port, a valve for the discharge port comprising a rotary member having an airactuated portion, a casing ati'ording a chamber for such portion, a chambered head for said casing having a port for admitting pressure to one face of said airactuat-ed portion, and an air duct or passage connecting the port of said chambered head with the interior of the cylinder, whereby said valve is automatically turned and the discharge port opened by the pressure within the cylinder.

2. The combination of a cylinder having inlet and discharge ports, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, valve mechanism for the inlet port. a valve for the discharge port comprising a rotary member having an air-actuated portion, a casing affording a chamber for such portion. a chambered head for said casing having a port for ad mitting pressure at one face of said air-actuated portion,

It will also be observed that i and an air duct or passage connecting the port of said chambered heads with the interior of the cylinder, whereby said valve is automatically turned and the discharge port opened by the pressure Within the cylinder, and devices for returning said valve to its closing position.

The combination of a cylinder having plural inlet and discharge ports, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, valve mechanism for the inlet ports, rotary valves for the discharge ports having air-actuated portions, casings affording chambers for such portions, chambered heads for said casings having ports for admitting pressure at one face of said air-actuated portions, and air ducts or passages connecting the ports of said chambered heads with the interior of the cylinder, whereby the said rotary valves are automatically opened in alternation by the pressure within the cylinder.

4. The combination of a cylinder having plural inlet and discharge ports, a reciprocating piston in said cyl inder, valve mechanism for the inlet ports, rotary valves for the discharge ports having air-actuatcd portions, casings affording chambers for such portions, chambered heads for said casin having ports for admitting pressure at one face of .aid air-actuated portions, air ducts or passages connecting the ports of said chambered heads with the interior of the cylinder, whereby said rotary valves are automatically opened in alternation by the pressure within the cylinder, and mechanical devices for returning said rotary valves to closed positions at in tcrvals.

5. The combination oi a cylinder having inlet and discharge ports, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, valve mechanism for the inlet port, a valve for the discharge port comprising a rotary body having a port thcrethrough and having end-projecting wings, a casing for said valve having at its ends chambers for said wings, respectively, and ducts or passages leading from said chambers to the interior of the cylinder.

(5. The combination of a cylinder having inlet and discharge ports, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, valve mechanism for the inlet port, a valve for the discharge port comprising a rotary body having a port therethrough and having end-projecting wings, a casing for said valve having at its ends chambers for said wings, respectively, ducts or passages leading from said chambers to the in terior ot' the cylinder, whereby said rotary valve is turned and the discharge port thereof opened by the pressure within the cylinder, and mechanical devices for periodically turning said rotary valve to its closing position.

7. The combination of a cylinder having inlet and discharge ports at its respective ends, a reciprocating piston in said cylinder, rotary valves [or the inlet ports, operative connections between said valves, means for actuating the same, rotary valves for the discharge ports having air-actuated portions, casings affording chambers for such portions, ducts or passages connecting said chambers With the interior of the cylinder to permit the opening of the said rotary valves by the pressure Within the cylinder, and mechanism whereby said latter valves are independently actuated to close the discharge ports of the cylinder.

FRANK LAFFERTY. YVATSON SPENCE.

Witnesses to signature of Frank Lafferty:

Giro. H. CHAMBERLAIN, GUST Komxsnr.

Witnesses to signature of \Vatson Spence:

FRANK DOMIXICK, WILLIAM SANDMANN. 

